The former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said that due to the scientific innovations that marked the beginning of the 21 Century, the second quarter of the same will spur drastic changes in the world at large.
He opined that talents and innovations will soon become the only dependable capital assets in the nearest future.
Anyim made the remarks at the weekend while delivering a lecture titled “Preparing for the Second Quarter of the 21st Century” at 2020/2012 Law Dinner organized by Nigeria Bar Association, (Rock Bar) Afikpo Branch at the residence of Hon. Idu Igariwey in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
His words: “In a very short while from now, talents and innovations are going to be the only dependable capital assets.”
“As lawyers, you must know that the 4th industrial revolution will throw up challenges in legislating for social existence, citizens’ rights and privacy, regulation of corporations and businesses, etc. The question, therefore, is not what is changing, but how are you preparing to contend with this myriad of changes, which as we now know, are inevitable.
“In his call on the global polity to prepare for the effect of the 4th industrial revolution, Klaus Schwab puts it this way “we stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before. We do not yet know just how it will unfold, but one thing is clear, the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all stakeholders of the global polity, from the public and private sectors to academia and civil society.”
According to Anyim, “the world will not wait for us; the world is moving on”.
While making his predictions as to some of the changes that would soon become visible, the former Senate President called on Nigerians and the country at large to prepare for the technological innovations of the 21st century that would soon make some existing facilities and services obsolete in the country.
“In the year ahead, citizens will begin to loose their privacy. SMSs will soon disappear. Computer keyboards will disappear and be replaced with voice control media.
Things will likely change in the next few years. “Petrol engine cars will be replaced by electricity-driven vehicles. Oil companies and exploration will soon disappear in the years ahead. We should start to prepare. Electricity generation and Distribution will soon disappear. In the next years, people will begin the generate their own power. The grid system will soon disappear.
“We should be careful with investment and commercial decisions because very soon it might be obsolete. Covid-19 has taught us that you don’t need to move to get work done. We need to prepare for this. 5G has come to stay. You can’t escape it. China is working on 6G. For speedy connectivity. The argument against 5G is unnecessary.
In the nearest future, you don’t need keys to open your doors. Facial and voice recognition will replace many services; most of us will leave throughout this period. Before 2021 gets over, many things around us will change. You should expect my prediction in the next 5 years. The revolution is inevitable – Industry 4.0”
He added “I must conclude by saying that the future I am talking about is not a distant one. You should expect some of my predictions to dominate our world as early as the next five years. Our world has certainly changed with the “intrusion” of industry 4.0.
